The trouble with circular buildings is that unless clearly marked, one entrance can look very similar to another, and it is very easy to lose ones bearings.
This happened to me once in a 'circular' restaurant in Bristol when I complained to my waiter on returning to my table (after visiting the Carvery), that somebody had taken my newspaper and (more importantly) my glass of wine.
The waiter apologised and brought me a new glass of wine and paper, and as I tucked into my food, I looked at the tables in front of me. About three or four tables ahead of me around the curve of the restaurant wall, was an empty table, upon which I could see a glass of wine and newspaper.
Somebody, had clearly gone back to the wrong table! I wonder who that could have been?
The Royal Albert Hall overcomes this problem with each entrance door being numbered, but our visit there yesterday evening, combined with a quest for free Champagne (courtesy of an offer in the Times) got off to a somewhat 'circuitous' start.
Having eaten in the restaurant (entered via 'Door 12' - the same door as the Box Office), we decided to go for a glass of Champagne before the performance of Cirque du Soleil's 'Totem', and were directed to the Bar which could be accessed via 'Door 1'.
Tickets having been scanned, we were allowed through 'Door 1', and headed up to the Bar on the second floor. Unfortunately, we were told that we should have collected a voucher for our champagne at the Box Office, so we headed back in the direction from whence we had come.
This time we exited the building via 'Door 3', which was actually closer to the Bar, walked back to 'Door 12', collected our voucher, and headed back to 'Door 3'.
"We're not open yet!" said the women at 'Door 3'. Clearly they were, because we had already been to the bar. Clearly, the "door" in question was also capable of being opened, as we had previously walked through it - albeit in an out-to-in, rather than in-to-out direction. But no, we were sent back to 'Door 1', where we again had our tickets scanned and eventually we got to the bar.
Whilst the cold champagne was quaffed (is it only champagne that can be quaffed?) a little too quickly, there was no consideration of repeating our journey without an adequate supply of 'sponsors', which weren't to be found.
Such initial minor difficulties were soon forgotten when the performance of 'Totem' commenced.
Previous entries have introduced the other two "poles" currently in my life, Jan & Elek, but this "third" pole, Totem, was more extravagant, athletic, strong, and quite simply amazing than the other two.
I think that it would be fair (mainly due to the fact that someone who knew what by were talking about wrote it) to sum up Totem thus: -
"... the mesmerising Cirque du Soleil displayed a fascinating journey into the evolution of mankind.
Inspired by founding myths, this spectacular production traces the journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly."
I would simply describe it as "WOW" as can be seen in the 'Preview' video accessed via the following link: -
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